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Alleged N3b Fraud: How Money Flowed from Kogi State Government to my Accounts-BDC Operator

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Jamilu Abdullahi, an Abuja-based Bureau de Change operator and third prosecution witness in the trial of Ali Bello,
on Thursday, September 26, 2024, gave a narrative of the financial transactions between him and the Kogi State government under former governor, Yahaya Bello before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Maitama Abuja.

The rundown includes how the former governor repeatedly paid school fees of his three daughters in dollars through him and his companies.

Ali Bello, the current Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, is the nephew of Yahaya Bello. He is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on 18-count charges of money laundering and misappropriation to the tune of over N3 billion, alongside Abba Daudu, Yakubu Adabenege, and Iyada Sadat.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness disclosed that in one of the occasions, Daudu, the second defendant brought $300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Dollars) in cash to him for the payment of Yahaya Bello’s daughters’
school fees. “Abba Daudu called me to say that they have a transaction though it was on the weekend, but I drove down to the office and waited for them to come. Upon their arrival, three of them came. One of them stayed in the car with the driver, two of them walked to my office and a friend of Abba Daudu was holding black leather bag containing $300,000.

“Upon entering, he greeted and Abba Daudu introduced him as his friend and business partner saying he has a transaction. He dropped $300,000 in cash. I wanted to count the dollars before they left, but I could not due to the power outage. I told him I cannot use my hands and needed to confirm that it was $300,000, so I locked the dollars in my office safe and two of them left. Then, Abba Daudu’s friend said when I confirmed the sum, details will be forwarded to me for payment. However, the sum of $300,000 attracts some service charges which he said I should calculate and let Abba Daudu know. After I completed the transfer, I forwarded four receipts indicating $75,000 four times to Abba Daudu, and he confirmed to me that the payment was confirmed successfully,” he said.

When asked by the prosecution counsel if he knew anything regarding the transactions on Exhibit D, Pages 50, 52 and 53, he said “Yes I know the transactions of $75,000, being paid to the school four times totalling, the sum of $300,000 as forwarded by Abba Daudu and further confirmed that the fees was paid for one of Yahaya Bello’s daughters. “And the name of the recipient is Naima Ohunene Bello,” he said.
Another payment of the fees, he recalled, was done by a company, Aleshua Solutions Services which, he said paid the sum of $42,170 for Naima Ohunene Bello.

“It was paid on behalf of the student Naima Ohunene Bello for school fees based on the instruction and as forwarded by Abba Daudu, and the date is 24th January, 2022.”

On Page 7 of the Exhibit D, was $78,160 he identified as payment for school fees
through Aleshua Solutions Services in respect of another Yahaya Bello’s daughter, Fatima Oziohu Bello.

“Based on the receipt before me, I am seeing acknowledgement of $78,135 being paid for Fatima Bello and on the Aleshua Solutions Services”, he said.

On Page One of Exhibit D, he identified a transaction of $44,675 also for Naima Bello. “I have seen it on the receipt of the payment. Forty-four thousand, seven hundred dollars, ($44,700) was paid to the school, but due to internal charges from the bank, $25 dollars was deducted, making the total balance of $44,675.00,” he said.

The beneficiary school, he told the court, was American International School (AIS).
Regarding transactions from Daudu’s company, Keyless Nature Limited to his own Kunfayakun company’s account on December 15 and 17, 2021, he said: “I received the sum of N100 million on the 15th December 2021 from Keyless Nature. On the 17th December, 2021, I received N400 million. Meanwhile on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd, December 2021, I received N100 million. On the 22nd
December 2021, I received the sum of N100 million only. On the 23rd December 2021, I received N35 million.

“I also received payment from Remita International in the sum of N40 million on 12th December, 2021, and there was an entry of N33 million on the 17th of December 2021. On the 7th February 2022, I confirmed the receipt of N90 million from Keyless Nature,” he said.

Counsel to Ali Bello, first defendant A.M Aliyu, who wished to cross-examine the witness, asked for adjournment to enable him study and have a full grasp of the massive facts and figures involved. Nurain Jimoh, counsel to the second, third and fourth defendant, agreed with him, while the prosecution counsel objected to the adjournment on the account that the witness has been in the dock since February 6, 2023. “I believe the cross-examination of PW 3 should begin. If there are other grounds, however, the application can be sustained. If not, I urge your lordship to turn it down.

Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter till October 25, 2024 and November 5 and 6, 2024 for continuation of trial.

It could be recalled that while testifying on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, the witness identified that Page 9 of Exhibit D, also
contained $11,000 payment by Whales Oil and Gas to AIS, which was done based on Daudu’s directive being the one who gave him the account details into which he made the payment.

He further explained on the same date that exhibits16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 were all payments to AIS. Exhibit 16, he said, captured payments of $7,653 to Bello Nana Fatima. The same he said applied to the payment of $19,296 on Page 17 and $7,725 on Page 18, while pages 19, 20 and 21 captured payments of $6,611.29, $21,470 and $21,492 respectively in favour of Zahra Bello.

He also narrated on September 24, 2024 how cash lodgments running into millions of naira were made into his E-Traders International Limited and Kunfayakun companies’ accounts as well as to his personal account by Daudu.
According to him, on July 27, 2021 he received N10 million and on August
19,2012, there was a cash deposit of N100 million in N10 million tranches and N100 million deposit on August 25, 2021.

On August 30, 2021, he disclosed that there was N63 million deposit and an additional N50 million, a day later on August 31, 2021 into his account. He further disclosed that on September
2, 2021, there was a double N30 million lodgment totaling N60 million.
He stated that the inflows into his accounts continued on October 8, 2021, with a transfer of N60 million and a double inflow of N130 million and N139.5 million on November 4, 2021.

On November 10, 2021, N25,134,000, flowed in; another N50 million, he said, flowed in on November 12, 2021and N200 million on November 30, 2021. The inflows, he said, continued on December 1, 2012 with N220 million and
N16,008,000 on December 3, 2021. On December 22, 2012, he said N40 million flowed in from the same source.

The witness in his September 24, 2024 testimony also admitted that Kayless Nature Limited made a deposit of N100 million to him on December 21, 2021 with the authorization of the second defendant.

On December 22, 2021, another N100 million, he said, flowed in from Kayless
Nature Limited, and another N60 million from the company on December 29, 2021.

The financial traffic continued on the New Year. According to him, on January
18, 2022, N40 million flowed in and continued thereafter. “On the 19th of January, 2022, I received N50 million, while on the 24th, 2022, I received N30 million, and on the 28 of that same January, 2022, I received N40 million cash in four tranches, and another N120 million. On January 31, 2022, I received an inflow of N160 million, while on February 1,2022, I received N110 million, and N150 million on February 8, 2022,” he said.

He further disclosed that on March 2, 2022, a total of N84 million was deposited in his account with another lodgment of N122, 980,000 on March 10, 2022 and N60 million on March 21, 2022.
On April 5, 2022, he stated that N150 million flowed in and N140 million, a day after on April 6, 2022.

Visit www.efcc.gov.ng for more stories

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Politics

‘Playing with fire’: Orbán’s sanctions veto threat puts Brussels on edge

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6 hours ago

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January 24, 2025

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Viktor Orbán has ramped up his criticism against EU sanctions on Russia. © Omar Havana/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
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Diplomats and officials in Brussels are holding their breath as they wait to find out if Viktor Orbán’s increasingly critical rhetoric against EU sanctions will translate into a veto that could upend the bloc’s Russia policy, as soon as next week.

Since February 2022, the bloc has brought in sweeping bans on trade with Russia in energy, technology, finance, luxury goods, transport and broadcasting, among others. It’s also frozen €210 billion assets held by the Russian central bank within the bloc, which have been used to back a multi-billion-euro loan for Kyiv.

Those could all soon be put into question. The restrictions, designed to cripple Moscow’s ability to finance its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, need to be prolonged every six months by unanimity, and the next deadline is 31 January.

In recent days, Orbán and his deputies have ratcheted up their harsh words against the sanctions regime, arguing the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, who wants to negotiate with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, requires the bloc to rethink its longstanding stance.

“The question of extending the sanctions is now on the agenda, and I pulled the handbrake and asked European leaders to understand that this cannot be continued,” the Hungarian Prime Minister said in a radio interview on Friday morning.

One of his ministers, Gergely Gulyás, has openly questioned the six-monthly renewal. “So far, everyone has seen the extension of sanctions as automatic, but we do not think it is automatic now,” Gulyás said on Thursday.

Those comments have stoked fears that Hungary will use its veto to block the rollover, triggering the collapse of a sanctions regime painstakingly built across 15 packages, and depriving the EU of its most hard-hitting tool against the Kremlin.

“It’s clear that if Budapest were to block, we would have a great issue at hand,” said a senior diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. “Budapest is playing with fire.”

The diplomat described the political situation as “mind-blowing” given the dire battleground conditions faced by Ukrainian forces, and predicted the EU would plunge into “uncharted territory” were sectoral sanctions to collapse overnight.

“The shenanigans we get from Budapest are seemingly endless,” the diplomat said.

A closed-door discussion among ambassadors on Friday only increased the uncertainty, as the Hungarian representative maintained ambiguity over his position, several diplomats said.

Instead, Hungary asked to change the agenda of Monday’s meeting of foreign affairs ministers, to allow the item on sanctions renewal, which is generally approved without any fuss, to be openly debated after a separate discussion on Ukraine support.

The Hungarian envoy also made a number of requests concerning energy policy, and in particular Ukraine’s recent decision to terminate the transit of Russian gas through Hungary, another diplomat said.

The decision, taken by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop Moscow from earning “additional billions on our blood,” has met with a furious reaction from Hungary and Slovakia, two landlocked countries that still purchase Russian fossil fuels. Earlier this month, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to use his veto power in retaliation.

‘Transactional’ diplomacy

In his radio interview, Orbán made a direct link between sanctions renewal and the gas dispute, and asked the European Commission to intervene in his country’s favour.

The Commission has said it has “no interest” in extending the transit of Russian gas.

“What is closed now, has to be reopened again. This is not a matter for Ukraine, it is an issue for Europe, an issue for central Europe,” the prime minister said.

“If the Ukrainians want help, for example sanctioning the Russians, then let’s reopen the gas transit routes and allow the central European countries, including Hungary, to receive the gas we need through Ukraine.”

The connection between the two issues has left diplomats scratching their heads, trying to figure out how severe the latest threat actually is. Orbán has previously used his veto to extract concessions, but never to provoke such a disruptive effect on sanctions.

“The threats are taken seriously. But it’s not the first time,” a diplomat said, decrying Hungary’s “transactional” manner of making demands.

“The EU cannot enter into panic mode every time somebody says something in Budapest,” they added. “We have learned to make a clear distinction between what we hear in Budapest and what happens in Brussels.”

The suspense is likely to last, at least, until foreign affairs ministers meet on Monday and Hungary’s representative, Péter Szijjártó, announces his country’s position. Diplomats speculate that, despite the harsh talk, Szijjártó will back down if he can secure new EU assistance for Hungary’s energy needs.

This will pave the way for the renewal to be approved, if not on Monday, then at least before the end of the month.

“We expect a positive result from that discussion. [Sanctions] are a key part of our strategy,” said a high-ranking EU official. The issue of gas transit has “nothing to do with sanctions on Russia. Sanctions on Russia are because of the aggression.”

Asked if Brussels was already drafting a Plan B, the official said: “We don’t envisage any other possibility than that it will be approved in the coming days.”

One factor certain to influence the discussion are the latest comments made by Donald Trump, who took some observers by surprise with hawkish comments against Russia.

“If we don’t make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries,” Trump said.

“We can do it the easy way, or the hard way – and the easy way is always better.”

The EU is already preparing a 16th package of sanctions against Russia, with the view to approving them before the third anniversary of the invasion, in late February.

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Politics

Donald Trump To Reduce Oil Prices Worldwide

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8 hours ago

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January 24, 2025

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Donald Trump has reportedly urged Opec and Saudi Arabia to lower global oil prices and called for central banks worldwide to reduce interest rates immediately after.

Speaking to business leaders in Davos on Thursday, the former US president criticized oil producers for not acting sooner to reduce crude oil costs.

“I’m going to ask Saudi Arabia and Opec to bring down the cost of oil. You gotta bring it down. Frankly, I’m surprised they didn’t do it before the election,”Trump said.

He suggested that lowering oil prices could help stop Russia’s war in Ukraine, saying,

“Right now, the price is high enough that the war will continue. Bring it down, and you could end that war.”

Trump also encouraged global companies to manufacture their products in the US, warning them of heavy tariffs if they import goods into the American market.

He promoted his economic policies, including large tax cuts and reduced regulations, describing them as a “revolution of common sense.”

This is an ongoing story.

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Politics

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed board chairpersons for 42 federal organisations and a secretary to the board of the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Prisons Services.

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11 hours ago

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January 24, 2025

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STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

APPOINTMENT OF BOARD CHAIRPERSONS AND CEOS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed board chairpersons for 42 federal organisations and a secretary to the board of the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Prisons Services.

The President has also appointed a new managing director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a director-general for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).

President Tinubu directs the board chairpersons not to interfere with the management of the organisations, emphasising that their positions are non-executive.

All the appointments take immediate effect.

1. NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS, MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
– Hon. Hillard Eta Chairman (Cross River)

2. NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
– Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Chairman (Lagos)

3. FEDERAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF NIGERIA, MINISTRY OF AVIATION
– H. E. Abdullahi U. Ganduje, Chairman (Kano)

4. NATIONAL SUGAR DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
– Sen. Surajudeen Bashiru Ajibola, Chairman (Osun)

5. NIGERIA BULK ELECTRICITY TRADING COMPANY
– H. E. Sulaiman Argungu, Chairman (Kebbi)

6. NATIONAL AGENCY FOR GREAT GREEN WALL
– Sen. Magnus Abe, Chairman (Rivers)

7. NATIONAL TEACHERS INSTITUTE
– Barr. Festus Fuanter, Chairman (Plateau)

8. NATIONAL BOARD FOR TECHNOLOGY INCUBATION (NBTI)
– Raji, Kazeem Kolawole, Director-General (Oyo)

9. NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION
– Chief Victor Tombari Giadom, Chairman (Rivers)

10. TEACHERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL OF NIGERIA
– Comrade Mustapha Salihu, Chairman (Adamawa)

11. INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FUND
– Hon. Hamma Adama Ali Kumo, Chairman (Gombe)

12. NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
– Donatus Enyinnah Nwankpa, Chairman (Abia)

13. SHEDA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX
– Sen. Abubakar Maikafi, Chairman (Bauchi)

14. FEDERAL MORTGAGE BANK OF NIGERIA
– H. E. Nasiru Gawuna, Chairman (Kano)

15. NATIONAL OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION AND PROMOTION
– Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Chairman (Lagos)

16. NIGERIAN POSTAL SERVICE
– Chief D. J. Kekemeke, Chairman (Ondo)

17. NATIONAL INLAND WATERWAYS AUTHORITY
– Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, Chairman (Sokoto)

18. NATIONAL STEEL COUNCIL
– Prof. Abdulkarim Kana Abubakar, Chairman (Nasarawa)

19. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
– Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad, Chairman (Kaduna)

20. NATIONAL BIO-SAFETY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
– Mu’azu Bawa Rijau, Chairman (Niger)

21. NIGERIAN BUILDING AND ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE
– Hon. Durosimi Meseko, Chairman (Kogi)

22. FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, GOMBE
– Hajia Zainab A. Ibrahim, Chairman (Taraba)

23. NIGERIAN RAILWAY CORPORATION
– Dr.Kayode Isiak Opeifa, Managing Director (Lagos)

24. FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, IDO-EKITI
– Aare (Hon.) Durotolu Oyebode Bankole, Chairman (Ogun)

25. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, ABEOKUTA
– Mr Abdullahi Dayo Israel, Chairman (Lagos)

26. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, ASABA
– Dr. Mrs. Mary Alile Idele, Chairman (Edo)

27. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, LOKOJA
– Nze Chidi Duru (OON), Chairman (Anambra)

28. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, OWERRI
– Hon. Emma Eneukwu, Chairman (Enugu)

29. CIVIL DEFENCE, IMMIGRATION AND PRISONS SERVICES BOARD
– Major Gen. Jubril Abdulmalik Rtd, Secretary (Kano)

30. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, UMUAHIA
– Mr. Uguru Mathew Ofoke, Chairman (Ebonyi)

31. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, YENAGOA
– Barr. Felix Chukwumenoye Morka, Chairman (Delta)

32. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, YOLA
– Alh. Bashir Usman Gumel, Chairman (Jigawa)

33. DAVID UMAHI FEDERAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, UBUHU, EBONYI STATE
– Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, Chairman (Imo)

34. NATIONAL OIL SPILL DETECTION AND RESPONSE AGENCY
– Chief Edward Omo-Erewa, Chairman (Edo)

35. NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY (NIMASA)
– Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar, Chairman (Kaduna)

36. NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE
– Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, Chairman (Borno)

37. AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, SHIKA, ZARIA,
KADUNA STATE
– Hon. Lawal M. Liman (Chairman)

38. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE KATSINA
– Dr. Abubakar Isa Maiha (Chairman)

39. RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (RMRDC)
– Isa Sadiq Achida, Chairman (Sokoto)

40. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE BIRNIN KUDU
– Dr. Mohammed Gusau Hassan, Chairman Zamfara

41. NATIONAL BUILDING AND ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE
– Hon. Yahuza Ado Inuwa, Chairman (Nasarawa)

42. SOKOTO-RIMA RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
– Amb. Abubakar Shehu Wurno, Chairman (Sokoto)

43. AMINU KANO TEACHING HOSPITAL
– Augustine Chukwu Umahi, Chairman (Ebonyi)

44. FEDERAL SCHOLARSHIP BOARD
– Engr. Babatunde Fakoyede, Chairman (Ekiti)

45. NIGERIAN SOCIAL INSURANCE TRUST FUND
– Hon. Shola Olofin, Chairman (Ekiti)

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
January 23, 2025

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